District Attorney Warren Montgomery 22nd Judicial District, Louisianahttp://damontgomery.org
Warren Montgomery - District AttorneyMon, 21 Jan 2019 13:21:32 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.2Slidell Man Gets 30 Years In Prison For Death of Mandeville Teen Who Smoked Mojohttp://damontgomery.org/2019/01/slidell-man-gets-30-years-prison-death-mandeville-teen-smoked-mojo/
Wed, 09 Jan 2019 16:50:37 +0000http://damontgomery.org/?p=5243FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE COVINGTON—District Attorney Warren Montgomery announces that Jamie D. Cooper, 35, of Slidell, pleaded guilty Friday (Jan. 4) to negligent homicide and distribution of synthetic marijuana for providing the drugs that led to the death of a Mandeville teenager in 2016. Cooper was sentenced to 30 years in prison. The crime came to …

COVINGTON—District Attorney Warren Montgomery announces that Jamie D. Cooper, 35, of Slidell, pleaded guilty Friday (Jan. 4) to negligent homicide and distribution of synthetic marijuana for providing the drugs that led to the death of a Mandeville teenager in 2016. Cooper was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

The crime came to the attention of the Covington Police Department on March 13, 2016, when officers were called to the Columbia Landing, where they discovered the unresponsive body of a 17-year-old Mandeville boy. Another teenager, who had called the police, admitted that he and his friend had smoked a brand of synthetic marijuana, known as Mojo. The surviving teen said he passed out and awakened to find his friend on top of him in a ditch filled with water. The boy later was pronounced dead at a St. Tammany hospital.

The teens had bought the drugs for $20 from a middle man, Jarbari Pea, 25, of Covington, who pleaded guilty in May 2017 to negligent homicide and Distribution of Synthetic Cannabinoids (Schedule 1) for his role in the crime. Pea was sentenced to five years in prison on the negligent homicide charge and 10 years, with five of them suspended, on the distribution charge. His sentences are to be served concurrently.

Cooper provided the Mojo to Pea, and both men walked away with $10.

As part of the plea agreement, District Judge Scott Gardner sentenced Cooper as a second felony offender to five years in prison on the negligent homicide count and 30 years on the distribution charge. Both sentences are to be served at the same time without the possibility of sentence reduction for “good time.”

Montgomery said this case should be a warning to students and to the larger community about the danger of the synthetic chemicals found in these manufactured drugs, which respond unpredictably in individuals. “Too many people, especially young people, are underestimating the danger of using marijuana and these synthetic compounds for recreation,” Montgomery said. “The consequences can be serious, even deadly.”

Montgomery pointed to another case that involved Mojo on March 13, 2016, the same day that the teenager died. Ahmad Rashad Johnson, 35, of Covington, gave a woman Mojo and then raped her after she became severely disoriented and ill from the drug. A St. Tammany Parish jury found Johnson guilty of third degree rape the following year.

COVINGTON—District Attorney Warren Montgomery reports that Johnnie A. Sanders, 43, a former Mandeville Police Department officer, was found guilty Tuesday (December 19) of theft for shoplifting from a hardware store.District Judge Scott Gardner, who presided over the misdemeanor trial, sentenced Sanders to a six-month suspended sentence, one year of probation, and a fine of $200 plus court costs.

The incident occurred Feb. 20, 2017, when Sanders entered the Home Depot, placed a saw and laser measure in his shopping cart, and opened a Rigid drill combo kit. Sanders then removed two batteries, valued at $168, from the kit and placed the batteries under the box that contained the saw. He paid for the saw and laser but made no attempt to pay for the concealed batteries underneath the other merchandise. Sanders exited the store without paying for the batteries. The theft was captured on surveillance video.

Assistant District Attorney Darrell Sims prosecuted the case.

Mandeville Police Chief Gerald Sticker issued the following statement:“On behalf of the men and women of the Mandeville Police Department, I would like to thank District Attorney Montgomery’s office for the successful prosecution of Mr. Sanders. As I have previously stated at the time of Sanders’ termination, those who break the very laws that they are sworn to enforce will not be tolerated by myself nor this agency.”

]]>Grand Jury Indicts Slidell Man In Separate Rapes of Two Juvenile Girlshttp://damontgomery.org/2018/12/grand-jury-indicts-slidell-man-separate-rapes-two-juvenile-girls/
Thu, 13 Dec 2018 19:08:02 +0000http://damontgomery.org/?p=5232FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 13, 2018 COVINGTON—District Attorney Warren Montgomery reports that a St. Tammany Parish grand jury indicted James Bishop, 67, of Slidell, Wednesday (Dec. 12) of two counts of aggravated rape of a victim under 13, two counts of molestation of a juvenile, and production of pornography involving juveniles. Bishop is accused of …

COVINGTON—District Attorney Warren Montgomery reports that a St. Tammany Parish grand jury indicted James Bishop, 67, of Slidell, Wednesday (Dec. 12) of two counts of aggravated rape of a victim under 13, two counts of molestation of a juvenile, and production of pornography involving juveniles.

Bishop is accused of molesting and raping two girls on separate occasions over a period of years from the time the girls were ages 8 and 9.

Assistant District Attorney Ysonde Boland presented the case to the grand jury.

District Judge Scott Gardner sentenced Thibodeaux to 40 years in prison on the manslaughter charge and 5 years on the domestic violence aggravated assault charge, with the sentences to be served concurrently.

The crime occurred July 30, 2017, when Thibodeaux pulled out a knife while arguing with his girlfriend. Thibodeaux threatened the woman, with whom he has two children, and her uncle, Douglas Evans, of Lacombe, tried to intervene and calm Thibodeaux. Instead, Thibodeaux turned on Evans and stabbed him to death.

Several members of the victim’s family attended the hearing, including Evans’ mother, who told the court that losing a child is one of the most difficult experiences a person can face. The Slidell Police Department investigated the case. Assistant District Attorney Casey Dieck prosecuted it, and she was assisted by Assistant District Attorney Jerry Smith.

]]>Three Men Plead Guilty And Get Jail Time In 2017 Mt. Hermon Shootings http://damontgomery.org/2018/12/three-men-plead-guilty-get-jail-time-2017-mt-hermon-shootings/
Thu, 06 Dec 2018 16:08:05 +0000http://damontgomery.org/?p=5217FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Dec. 5, 2017 FRANKLINTON—District Attorney Warren Montgomery announced Wednesday (Dec 5) that three men involved in a shooting spree that damaged homes and property in the Mount Hermon area in April 2017 have pleaded guilty to nine counts of illegal use of weapons, two counts of simple criminal damage to property, nine …

FRANKLINTON—District Attorney Warren Montgomery announced Wednesday (Dec 5) that three men involved in a shooting spree that damaged homes and property in the Mount Hermon area in April 2017 have pleaded guilty to nine counts of illegal use of weapons, two counts of simple criminal damage to property, nine counts of aggravated criminal damage to property, and seventeen additional counts of simple criminal damage to property. The defendants are: Desmond Warren, 19, of Mount Hermon; Bailey Koon, 19, of Franklinton; and Dakota Tetreau, 21, of Franklinton.

District Judge Alan Zaunbrecher sentenced the men as follows: simple criminal damage to property counts, two years in prison; aggravated criminal damage to property counts, 10 years in prison with five of the years suspended, and three years of probation, beginning after they complete their jail sentences. The sentences are to be served concurrently. The defendants also were ordered to pay $11,491.04 in restitution over the term of their probation.

The shooting spree occurred April 11, 2017, when dozens of residents in the Mount Hermon area reported gunshots at multiple locations in the community. Washington Parish Sheriff’s Deputies Tom Anderson, Jimmy Seals, and Sgt. Jay Dupre investigated the case and documented road signs, mail boxes, vehicles, and houses that had been damaged by gunfire, including instances in which bullets entered occupied homes. Although the deputies investigated many leads, the case did not break until detectives received a tip about Desmond Warren’s involvement. The investigation was able to corroborate that Warren was in the area of the shootings during the time of the shootings. Warren subsequently made a statement, implicating himself and the other defendants, who all ultimately admitted to participating. They were arrested Sept. 8 last year.

Assistant District Attorney David A. Weilbaecher, Jr., prosecuted the case, and he was assisted by Assistant District Attorney Blake Peters. The hearing before Judge Zaunbrecher was held Nov. 26 at the Franklinton courthouse.

]]>Breakfast with the Rotary Club of Northshore in Slidellhttp://damontgomery.org/2018/11/breakfast-rotary-club-northshore-slidell/
Wed, 28 Nov 2018 20:30:24 +0000http://damontgomery.org/?p=5212 District Attorney Warren Montgomery enjoyed sharing the accomplishments of his administration today during a breakfast meeting of the Rotary Club of Northshore in Slidell.

]]>DA Sponsors Field Trip to STPSO’s Special Ops Unithttp://damontgomery.org/2018/11/da-sponsors-field-trip-stpsos-special-ops-unit/
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 22:01:06 +0000http://damontgomery.org/?p=5190The Pitcher Junior High Students who are participating in District Attorney Warren Montgomery’s Kids L.E.A.D. Program enjoyed a “really cool” field trip today to the St. Tammany Parish Special Operations Unit where they learned about specialized personnel units such as the S.W.A.T. Team, the Hazardous Disposal Unit (Bomb Squad), Hostage Negotiators, the Marine and Traffic …

]]>The Pitcher Junior High Students who are participating in District Attorney Warren Montgomery’s Kids L.E.A.D. Program enjoyed a “really cool” field trip today to the St. Tammany Parish Special Operations Unit where they learned about specialized personnel units such as the S.W.A.T. Team, the Hazardous Disposal Unit (Bomb Squad), Hostage Negotiators, the Marine and Traffic Teams and their tactics, equipment and vehicles. Thanks to all of the Officers for their time and attention.

COVINGTON—District Attorney Warren Montgomery reports that a St. Tammany Parish grand jury indicted Shawn A. Doucette, 33, of Slidell, Tuesday (Nov. 13) with two counts of first degree rape of a victim under 13.

Doucette is accused of raping a 12-year-old girl on at least two occasions between Oct. 1, 2016, and April 13, 2017.

Assistant District Attorney Ysonde Boland presented the case to the grand jury.

COVINGTON—District Attorney Warren Montgomery reports that a St. Tammany Parish grand jury re-indicted Jamie D. Cooper, 34, of Slidell, Tuesday (Nov. 13) with second degree murder in the death of a teenager found unresponsive in a Covington ditch after smoking synthetic marijuana. The new, superseding indictment added a charge of distribution of a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance (marijuana or a synthetic form).

Cooper is accused of distributing the drug through a middle man to the 17-year-old, who died after using it on March 13, 2016.

Assistant District Attorney Jerry Smith presented the case to the grand jury.

COVINGTON—District Attorney Warren Montgomery reports that a St. Tammany Parish grand jury charged Dustin Ray Hughes, 32, of Angie, and Sharon D. Snelgrove, 38, of Carriere, Miss., with racketeering and multiple theft charges for an alleged operation that used account information from one company to make fraudulent purchases from another.

Hughes, a former employee of Southern Electric Company, is accused of placing fraudulent orders with O’Reilly Auto Parts on multiple occasions with account information stolen from Southern Electric. Snelgrove is accused of assisting Hughes by obtaining and transporting merchandise that she knew was stolen.

More than 1,000 products, valued at between $20,000 and $25,000, are alleged to have been obtained fraudulently from 14 jurisdictions over two states.

Both defendants are charged with the following: one count each of racketeering, seven counts each of theft of items valued at $1,000 but less than $5,000, two counts each of theft of items valued at less than $1,000, and one count each of misdemeanor theft (Class 4, less than $1,000)